Time To Give Back
America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan on Dec.7,1941, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was quoted as stating “a date which will live in infamy”
Another date that should “live in infamy” is September 9, 2001 when 19 hijackers and a few others in a cave in Afghanistan planned and carried out the attack on America causing the death of nearly 3,000 Americans which included:
343 firefighters (including a chaplain and two paramedics) of the New York City Fire Department.
37 police officers of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department.
23 police officers of the New York City Police Department.
8 emergency medical technicians and paramedics from private emergency medical services.
The above figures do not represent the thousands of other first respondents who still fall ill to this day due to respiratory and cancer causing carcinogens inhaled on that faithful day, running into buildings in their attempt to save lives and in the process losing their’s. Why do I bring this up now? For 2 reasons, let me explain.
When a fire broke out in London England 79 people living in the 24 story Grenfell Towers lost their lives, and many more injured with severe burns, and the death toll is expected to rise. I watched the news, saw the inferno, and said a prayer for the victims. Then I read Sunday’s paper and the article on Developer Jeff Greene and his plans for WPB.
Mr. Greene has 8 projects in the work, and I will mention a few.
Micro Apartments=550 Banyan Blvd.=12 stories.
Clematis Place= Clematis St.= 12 stories
One West Palm= 550 No. Quadrille Blvd. It is written this is his biggest project with 2 towers, each 30 stories high, 209,000 square feet of offices, 328 luxury apartments, hotel and retail. I am assuming the luxury apartments will be on the top floors. Mr. Greene has the OK from the ,city to build, but is waiting on a decision from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) but doesn’t anticipate a problem.
What could kill Mr Greene’s project? Related Co. plans to build a 25 story tower near the waterfront, on a site zoned for 5 stories and is pushing the city to allow the construction. If the city allows the project to go forward, Mr. Greene states “I probably wont go ahead with the project. I don’t feel like competing with a building right on the water unless he gets a big tax break to compensate”
The city has allowed so much construction, there is no where to go but up, and after 30 years of living in WPB, I now live in a possible flood zone. It’s a shame they cant make concrete to absorb water like the land can. Water has to go somewhere, and if it crawls into your home that’s really a shame.
If you read this far, thank you, here is one point I wish to make and it concerns the WPB Fire Dept; The fire dept; along with the police dept; are and always will be my heroes for reasons mentioned above. They are selfless individuals who put our safety above their own, and rush into danger while others are trying to escape. I believe both departments are in financial trouble, and would offer a couple of solutions.
First the city has 3 Fire Truck Ladder’s, and they can extend 100′ capable of reaching 8-9 floors if they can get close to the building. For every 10′ away from the building, that’s 10′ they lose in height.
One truck is in the process of being disposed of due to the cost of keeping it operational, and needs to be replaced. (To damn old and falling apart).
If the ladders cant go beyond 8-9 floors, why would the city allow 30 story buildings? Simple answer, the developer want to make as many millions as possible on the project.
Instead of Mr. Greene asking for “a big tax break” why not thank the city for all he’s received by purchasing a much needed fire ladder truck, donating it to the city, and have a nice tax write off for himself, not to mention the great publicity he would receive.
I imagine these trucks run hundred’s of thousands of dollars, and the city could hire much needed help in both the fire and police dept. if they didn’t lay out money for the new truck. I see it as a win-win.
If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know I ask readers to vote no on all new taxes the city, county and state ask for because I believe they could do a better job of handling our tax dollars.
Homeowners soon will be asked to vote for another $25,000.00 Homeowners Exemption, bringing it to $75,000.00.
I am a homeowner, and will vote the exemption down if the city promises they will use the tax dollars to fully fund the WPB Fire & Police Dept. with the needed manpower and equipment.
Mayor Muoio please ask Mr. Greene to purchase and donate the Fire Truck.
I Don’t Get It
May 10,2017 I had my 2nd. ride with a cop, and rode a different shift. 10:30 PM until 3:00 AM. Officer Bryan Vautin was the officer in charge of my safety as we rode the north end of the city where crime can be observed daily.
We talked as he rode me into sections of WPB I never knew existed,while he pointed out different sights and troubled areas of the city.
Bryan’s first stop took us to an area off the beaten path where he said folks do drugs, and abandon stolen cars. He spotted 2 people sitting in a car and stepped out to investigate.The young man handed Bryan a joint smoked down to the roach clip, and Officer Vautin mentioned the driver was extremely nervous for having such a small amount of pot.
He asked for his drivers license and discovered it was suspended,same story with the young lady in the car.
Officer Vautin asked the young man if he had a problem with a search of the car, and was told no he didn’t have a problem with it. At this point a second officer had arrived for backup.
Officer Vautin found a gun, loaded with 10 rounds. The young man said he bought it about a year ago from someone he didn’t know. When Bryan ran the gun it came back as stolen from Riviera Beach. Both officers questioned the young man and he was adamant he didn’t know the name of the man who sold him the gun.
Officer Vautin confiscated the gun and said it would be tested against gun crimes committed. I asked him what would happen if the gun was used in a robbery or murder within the year the man claims he bought it.
The information would be turned over to detectives who would investigate further. The young man had no outstanding warrants and no felony convictions and the police did not arrest him, while telling him to call for a ride and not drive the car. Young man got a break.
Officer Vautin continued on patrol when a call came over the radio saying another officer on patrol saw a flashlight come on in a business, that was possibility being burglarized. The call came at approximately 2:00 AM. He wasted no time responding to the call and when we arrived there were 4 cruiser ahead of us. The business was a one story and officers set a parameter around the building.
Across the street from the business were very large storage containers and Officer Vautin was asked to climb the container to insure someone wasn’t breaking in by way of the roof.
I witnessed officers shining flashlights into the building, when I heard an officer report the back of the building had a garage door, and it was opened approximately 3 feet. Another officer reported he could see a woman inside.
I watched Officer Vautin climb down from the container and run toward the building. Officers identified themselves and told the woman to come to the door which she did.
Unfortunately I wasn’t surprised when the business owner verbally abused the officers because they woke her up. (she sleeps in the back room of her business)
Officers witnessed suspicious activity and investigated, which most people would be grateful for. Not this owner. The owner was yelling loud enough I heard her across the street.
Police requested her to place a sign in her window with a contact name and phone no. explaining they would have called the phone and asked if someone had permission to be in the building. She said she would not post any sign’s in her window, and her phone no. was not the cops business. I can’t comprehend how anyone can be so angry when police are concerned about a possible burglar breaking and entering, and risking their lives to protect her property. She should have witnessed Officer Vautin climb to the roof of the storage containers, (if he fell may very well have broken his neck) to enable him to view the roof in an attempt to protect her business.
This was my second ride with a cop and both times I witnessed officers shown absolutely no respect by people of color.
I don’t get it.
The most shocking scene I witnessed this night was the number of young kids (I’m talking young teens) riding bicycles and walking the streets in groups of 3-4 at 2:30 AM. Where are the parents of these young children who walk the streets doing God knows what?
I don’t get it!
The third Thursday of every month a “Peace in the street March” led by Rev. Kevin Jones. At the May walk I met a new lady who joined us from Century Village. Folks come from all over the city to walk but most times police outnumber the marchers, and you will rarely see a marcher who lives in the north end neighborhood.
I don’t get it!
One of the greatest inventions in my lifetime was the television, a small round screen, black & white. The curse of the TV are the commercials but recently two commercials caught my attention.
Pepsi Cola commercial showed a group of black protestors holding signs reading
“peace” “love” and “join the conversation.” The protestors were facing a line of Police Officers when a young black woman (Kendall Jenner) broke from the line, walked to an officer and handed him a can of Pepsi
It’s not clear what the smiling, attractive demonstrators are upset about, the only clues being their placards. I absolutely loved the commercial, and watched it twice, before the nightly news reported Pepsi had pulled the commercial do to an uproar from the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
Pepsi Cola stated their intention was “Trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize, we did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
I don’t get it.
“Watch Your Med’s”
Shows an older gentlemen opening his medicine cabinet, and taking a pill. When he closes the cabinet it shows a young woman taking one on his pills.
The other shows an older woman, on crutches, opening her cabinet and swallowing a pill. When she closes the cabinet, there is a young man swallowing a pill.
This commercial runs often, and when cities recently ran a program allowing people to turn in their expired or un-used medication records were broken on the amount turned in.
This one I get.